Magnetic memory and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A magnetic memory according to the present invention has: a first underlayer; a second underlayer so formed on the first underlayer as to be in contact with the first underlayer; and a data storage layer so formed on the second underlayer as to be in contact with the second underlayer. The data storage layer is made of a ferromagnetic material having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. A magnetization state of the data storage layer is changed by current driven domain wall motion.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A magnetic memory comprising:
 a first underlayer; 
 a second underlayer formed on said first underlayer so as to be in contact with said first underlayer; and 
 a data storage layer formed on said second underlayer so as to be in contact with said second underlayer, 
 wherein said data storage layer is a Co/Ni laminated film having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and has an fcc(111) orientation crystal structure, and 
 a magnetization state of said data storage layer is changed by current driven domain wall motion. 
 
     
     
       2. The magnetic memory according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said first underlayer includes a fourth to sixth group element, and 
 said second underlayer includes a ninth to eleventh group element. 
 
     
     
       3. The magnetic memory according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein a film thickness of said first underlayer is not less than 1 nm and not more than 10 nm. 
 
     
     
       4. The magnetic memory according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein a film thickness of said second underlayer is not less than 1.1 nm and not more than 3 nm. 
 
     
     
       5. The magnetic memory according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said first underlayer includes any of Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W or alloy consisting of a plurality of materials selected from Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W. 
 
     
     
       6. The magnetic memory according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein said first underlayer includes at least Ta. 
 
     
     
       7. The magnetic memory according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said second underlayer includes any of Cu, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Pt and Au or alloy consisting of a plurality of materials selected from Cu, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Pt and Au. 
 
     
     
       8. The magnetic memory according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein said second underlayer includes at least one material of Pt and Pd. 
 
     
     
       9. The magnetic memory according to  claim 1 , wherein said data storage layer comprises at least two Co/Ni laminated films. 
     
     
       10. The magnetic memory according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least two CO/Ni laminated films comprise a first layer which includes Co and a second layer which includes Ni, and
 wherein the first layer is formed on a side of the at least two Co/Ni laminated films which is directed to that second underlayer. 
 
     
     
       11. The magnetic memory according to  claim 9 , wherein the second layer is formed on an upper side of the first layer.